Adam R. Rivers, PhD

Computational biologist and microbial ecologist using microbiome data and machine learning to create safe, productive, and sustainable agricultural systems.

This position has been filled, it is visible for archival purposes.

Position Description

This is a unique position providing training in applied machine learning and scientific leadership in high performance computing. The successful candidate will develop and co-lead several two-day ARS-wide training workshops on scientific computing, and will help organize communities of scientific practice in machine learning for metagenomics across the ARS. The topics will vary, but past examples have included machine learning, microbiome science, and working with Data Carpentry on their curriculum (https://datacarpentry.org/). The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop skills in python package development, software development practices, and machine learning applications.

This position has wide latitude to develop an independent research program in areas like the prediction of pathogen phenotypes from metagenomics data, developing new methods for polygenic scoring, linking host genotypes to microbiomes, and modeling microbial communities with probabilistic graphical models. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to collaborate with multiple USDA ARS scientists on additional data analysis projects, and to write collaborative scientific papers dealing with metagenomics.

Preferred skills:

  • Experience with high performance computing
  • Experience in microbiology, computational biology, statistics, or computer science
  • Strong communication and organizational skills
  • Experience or interest in teaching

I recognize that each person has a unique mix of experience and individual strengths and I encourage any applicant with a strong record of research productivity and relevant experience to apply, even if your mix of skills is different than what is listed above. Compensation includes competitive postdoctoral pay and benefits.

Application information

Location: Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, Gainesville, FL

Lab Website: tinyecology.com

Interested? Email today.

The Fellowship is administered through the ORISE Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. you can apply here. This position is part of a nationwide Cohort of USDA positions working on applying computational methods to agricultural questions.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is managed by UT-Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy, is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free from any and all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. It is therefore the company’s policy to prohibit discrimination and harassment against any applicant, employee, vendor, contractor, customer, visitor, or guest on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law. It is also the company’s policy to prohibit any and all forms of retaliation against any individual who has complained of harassing or discriminatory conduct, or who has participated in a company or agency investigation into any such complaints.